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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cell · vault · drill · scale · mark · deal · suit · row

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. suit — to fit
  3. scale — in music
  4. mark — a grade
  5. cell — in biology
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. drill — the tool
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. deal — to handle
  11. cell — a phone
  12. drill — a practice
  13. scale — size or range
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a line
  16. suit — clothes
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. drill — army training
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. suit — in cards
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. deal — a big deal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com